So ski season is finally upon us, and you’ll find a few things have changed. New zip lines. Chairlifts with heated seats. And most importantly, new runs. Herewith, a list of what’s new on America’s slopes this season.
Rising from the ashes of the shuttered Elk Meadows ski area, Eagle Point is rolling out 36 trails, a half-pipe and the tempting backcountry possibilities of special access to sections of Fishlake National Forest. This place averages 400 inches of snowfall a year—here’s hoping for an above-average year.
Okay, so technically you’re not skiing. Instead, you’ll be zip-lining down a 4,000-foot run, crossing sky bridges and rappelling from trees, all on a new canopy-level setup. Plus, the run’s about three hours long, so you’ll have plenty of time to après-zip line.
Say hello to Ski Beach, a drinks-friendly new gathering place nestled between a new gondola and new high-speed quad, a Euro-style Doppelmayr chairlift with heated seats enclosed in protective orange bubbles and an additional 300 acres of skiable terrain, bringing the total to 4,000. Just don’t get lost.
What makes the Gold Runner Coaster superior to, say, your average rail ride: it’s open year-round, it twists and turns 2,500 feet through the trees (above and around ski runs) and, best of all, dual handles let you control just how fast you zoom to the bottom. Your move, Space Mountain.
Two thousand miles east of Colorado, you’ll find the equally breathtaking Timber Ripper mountain coaster, a 375-foot descent down 3,100 feet of track at up to 25 miles per hour. Again, you’ll control the speed to navigate epic waves, camelbacks and banking loops, all while trying desperately to hold onto your lunch.
